


Stardew Valley: Outcast

by HoolOfTheNorth



Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-15
Updated: 2018-09-17
Packaged: 2019-04-23 00:44:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,351
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14320758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HoolOfTheNorth/pseuds/HoolOfTheNorth
Summary: Anderson Miller, a 25-year old depressed office worker, is in dire need of some change in her life. Following the directions left for her in the final note of her now-deceased grandfather, she takes the chance and leaves her old life behind to move to Matador Farm in Stardew Valley. She knows very well that this is a one-way ticket, and if she can't make her life work there, it's all over... but it can't be THAT bad.... Right?





	1. Prologue

Anderson idly gazed out the window of the bus, watching the trees whizz past. They'd started to blend together 30 minutes ago. Having lived in the city her whole life, the woman never really paid any mind to how much growth could actually cover the land. Now, her world was just a sea of green against a background of more green.

 

She was coming all the way from the other edge of the continent. Her previous home was on the north harbor of Zuzu city, right next to both a massive refinery and a Joja corporate building. It was almost symbolic: Anderson was so close to her dream of being a petroleum engineer, and yet she was stuck in the monolithic building across the street.

 

Still, even though she knew that she had to get away from her old office job, something about the area still felt… uncomfortable. It was almost too natural. Despite what most people might say, Anderson always felt warmth in the dense concrete jungles of the world. Cities were always full of busy people, never straying away from their collective agendas of innovation. They never truly slept at night; the lights always shone on, a dazzling sight from any distance. In a way, she could consider cities to be a living thing of their own. Such spectacular places...

 

**No.** She couldn't keep thinking about her old home. It would just make adjusting to life in the country even harder. Pulling her bag closer, the exhausted woman slipped an envelope out of the front compartment. She extracted the letter from within, unfolding it carefully as the paper was old and worn. Even now, her grandfather's handwriting was still so familiar...

 

_“Dear Anderson,_

__

__

 

_Now, I'll have been long gone by the time you're reading this, but know that I will always be smiling down at you from Yoba’s domain. Anderson, you're very special to me. You've never once let me down, and I can assure you that I was thinking of both you and your father in my final moments._

__

__

 

_However, I never stopped worrying about your personal struggles. You've confided in me time and time again about your burdens. Your troubles with school. Your troubles with physical health. The ones that pained me the most to see you go through, however… your mental health issues...due to my demise, I believe that I may finally be able to give you the escape your mind has been craving._

__

__

 

_I've left you my old farm in my will. Yes, THAT farm. I don't know what shape poor Matador will be in at your current time, but I can at least assure you that it still stands. You can move out to Stardew Valley and start living there the moment you read this. I wonder if you remember what Pelican Town is like from your visits back when you were just a tiny little thing. Maybe Lewis will remember you… if the old bastard is even still alive. Hah!_

__

__

 

_You've made your father and I so proud. I know that no matter what you do, you'll never disappoint us. Please, Andy. If you take the chance and move out to the farm, try to remember these words. Never be afraid. No matter what path you choose, we will always have your back._

__

__

 

_I love you,_

__

__

_Grandpa Miller”_

__

__

 

… And she had chosen this path for a reason. Anderson assured herself that she was just over-reacting. It was okay, these things happened all the time.

 

She put the letter back in its rightful place and returned her attention to the outside world beyond the smudge-covered window. The bus was just passing an (ironically green) road sign.

 

****

“STARDEW VALLEY: 0.5 MILES”

 

Looks like it was time for her new life to begin.


	2. Arrival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anderson arrives in Pelican Town and starts to develop a first impression.

Stepping off the bus, the woman turned her head up to face the horizon. She could see the ocean sparkling, its cool breeze brushing her hair away from her face. As gorgeous as she may find skyscrapers, there was definitely still something to appreciate about the wonderful landscape of the little seaside village.

 

Being abruptly torn away from her train of thought, a red-headed lady cheerily jogged up to Anderson. “Ms. Miller! Lewis told me you'd be coming. Welcome to Pelican Town! I'm Robin, the local - and only - carpenter.” She beamed, hands firmly placed on her hips.

 

It turned out that Lewis, the man her grandfather had mentioned in his letter, was indeed still alive. He must've been ANCIENT by now, but then again, Anderson’s grandfather was both older than Lewis and had died fairly early.

 

“Hey there, Robin… Uh, you got a map or something…?” Anderson slowly questioned, unable to remember any landmarks from when she was young.

 

The carpenter whipped a neatly folded piece of paper out of her pocket and gave it to the newcomer. “Just printed it off last night for you. Everything is current, but the community center has been abandoned for some time now. Most of us just kind of ignore it.”

 

The pale brunette paused. She had vague memories of visiting the community center when she was young - very, very young. It was an old building then, so she couldn't imagine what it must be like now with a lack of maintenance. Maybe she'd get the chance to find out sometime soon. She decided to brush it off in the end, preferring to get the actually important things done first.

 

“Alright. Got it. I guess I'm just gonna… head to the house now…” Anderson kept staring at the map in her hands, memorizing it thoroughly as she began to saunter off.

 

“Actually,” Robin began, “I'm coming with you. Lewis is already there, too. I need to finish a quick land inspection before heading off - for safety.” The older woman explained, keeping pace with the other.

 

Ms. Miller nodded idly in agreement. “Yeah, that's fine. I'd rather not fall in an unknown hole and die by accident or something...”

 

\--

 

The walk was shorter than the map made it appear to be, but that wasn't the only thing deceiving about the sheet of paper. If it were to be truly accurate, it would've displayed the farm practically buried underneath debris. Tons of it. Anderson looked up from the map and took a hot second to process the mess in front of her. How long had this place been sitting like this? She wheezed, her lungs violently turning inside out. Did she have to clean ALL of this?

 

In the middle of her crisis, Lewis, who had been watching them arrive, walked up to Anderson and looked her up and down. “My, my… Just look at how much you've grown. It's been a while, hasn't it?” He mused, calmly nodding.

 

**_“MmmyeahIguessyoucouldsaythat-”_** The young lady spat out with the small amount of air that had been left in her body, inhaling sharply afterwards as she gestured to the ruins in front of them. “... I mean. Just look at the place. ‘A while’ might not quite cut it in this situation.”

 

“I suppose that's true…” The town’s mayor scanned the land slowly, his expression morphing into something akin to grieving for just a moment before he perked up again. “... But now you're here. I'm sure you'll be able to breathe some life back into this old place. It can't be too hard once the buildup is removed… It'll just take some hard work.”

 

“You can also sell whatever you collect here to me.” Robin cut in. “Wood, stone, all that stuff. I'll take it. That way you won't be JUST draining your funds while you take the time to clear this place. Working is easier when it actually gives you a profit."

 

She thought over everything they were saying. So, the land seemed to be fine. It was just a matter of repairing it by hand. Easy enough. But the house, on the other hand…

 

Upon turning around, Anderson blinked at her new house - if you could even call it a house. A cabin may be a better word, or perhaps even a shack at this point. “I'm uhh… assuming this thing is safe to live in, yeah?” She questioned worriedly.

 

“Yep! Passed all the inspections. Structure is safe, no mold or water damage, pipes are all clear and working… that's another thing I can do, too! I can build new sections onto your house. I'm sure you're going to need it in the future - you don't wanna live in this crusty ol’ thing forever, do you?” The carpenter lightly elbowed the other female, brows raised with a smirk.

 

Lewis wasn't exactly smiling at that response, however. In fact, he took quite the offense. “How rude! You can't just call a place like this ‘crusty…’ Have some respect for the building!”

 

“Oh, no. There is like… there is some _mondo crustage_ going on here.” The newcomer hastily sided with Robin, agreeing entirely. “... But whatever. It's fine for now. As long as I can sleep in there… I feel like I'm gonna drop dead.”

 

The old man sighed heavily, peering downwards as he crossed his arms in defeat. “I do suppose we should let you get some rest. It's a long trip to the city from here. You can come into town and meet everyone tomorrow, if you're feeling up to it.” Lewis suggested, turning on his heels.

 

“Ah, I should probably head out, too… I left my address on a note on the table inside if you ever need to contact me! Mail is delivered daily! You can visit me any time!” Robin shouted as she jogged after the mayor, waving goodbye.

 

Anderson could only manage a single hand raise as they exited her property, mind swimming too fast to keep up with itself now that there wasn't anybody talking in her ear nonstop. Everything felt like whiplash. She no longer lived in the city in a clean apartment with easy access to anything she could ever want. Her new home was… Pelican Town. In the middle of Stardew Valley. In the middle of nowhere. An old, decrepit town that was hours away from the nearest metropolis. Alone.

 

Maybe it was the exhaustion making her think like this. Nothing was ever as bad as she thought. It was always the anxiety talking. It's not THAT bad. You'll survive, you've gotten this far. It's not THAT bad.

 

The woman trudged inside of the old shack and collapsed on the bed, eyes boring holes into the wall.

 

Or maybe it actually was that bad this time.

 

Maybe she **was** right.


	3. Introductions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anderson meets a possible new friend and starts her official tour of the town.

At the very least, a new day brought with it a fresh start. Ms. Miller peeled herself off the bed, knowing even then that she'd slept for much too long. She searched the walls for a clock, but found none. Then, remembering her phone, she fished the device out of her pocket and pressed the power button, quickly reading the numbers on-screen before going blind from the harsh light.

“9:30 AM.”

Anderson paused. She'd crashed at around 3 PM the previous day… she'd slept for over 18 hours. The woman flung herself across the room to where she'd chucked her bags, powering through the dizziness to find a change of clothes for the day. Once she'd succeeded in doing the very important task of finding the most unassuming outfit she owned, she quickly completed the rest of her daily morning tasks and stepped outside. 

It was strange walking out into a world of lush growth and fresh air; this would definitely take some getting used to. Regardless, Anderson left her wreck of a property to check out the town. On her way, she pondered a couple things. Would anybody recognize her from when she was young? How much had Lewis already told the others? Would they be welcoming, or would they be wary of an outsider entering their tight community? Would she even be able to make friends with anybody? 

The woman shook her head vigorously. No bad thoughts. No assuming the worst. This was a fresh start, and worrying wouldn't get her anywhere. Anderson peered up from the ground as she entered town square, nodding at the people that waved as she passed. They certainly seemed happy to see her, but they were all extremely busy… except one. 

A young man with wild blond hair jogged up to the newcomer, waving ecstatically as he did so. Anderson turned to face him, hands in her pockets as she gave a curt nod. 

“Hey! You're the new farm girl, yeah? My name’s Sam! It's nice to meet you!” He raised his fist for a fist bump, which the woman quickly completed. 

“Farm girl? I suppose I do live on a farm, but I wouldn't call myself a farmer.” Anderson let her hand hang by her side. “The name’s Anderson. Anderson Miller.” 

“Well, it's nice to meet you, madame Miller. I have come to thy today to escort you around, out of the kindness of my heart.” The boy bowed in an exaggerated fashion, smiling all the while. The woman would be lying if she'd said that his sunshine-esque demeanor wasn't cheering her up already. 

“Oh, really?” She replied, crossing her arms with one brow raised. “I could use a tour, actually. Staring at a map only gets you so far.” 

Sam shot her some finger guns as he sprang back up. “EXACTLY! That's totally what I was thinking. Yep. In SYNC. Anyways, wanna start? I've got a place I can show you right here - it's our local general store!” 

He gestured to a pair of connected buildings, obviously talking about the one on the right as the other one appeared to be a hospital. A sign saying “PIERRE'S” was hung above a notice board of some sort, sporting a calendar along with some general notices. The name was actually familiar to her, but she didn't quite remember if she'd ever stepped foot into the place. 

Anderson followed as Sam took the lead into the store, worried that he'd run into the door frame with how often he kept looking back at her to see if she was still following. Miraculously, the young man was able to enter without causing any bodily harm to himself, partner still in tow. 

She was greeted immediately by an orange-haired male standing behind a counter, presumably Pierre himself. “Hey, welcome to Pierre's! You're Ms. Miller, I take it?”

“Yeah, that's me…” The new villager trailed off as she scanned the interior, noting how… small it was. This was of immediate concern to her, because if this was the _only_ place nearby that she could purchase food from… then there would be a big problem. 

“You already looking to buy? Here, I can show you where things are in here real quick if there's something you have in mind.” The man stepped out from behind the counter and approached the two, arms crossed in a casual manner. 

“Uhh… you got gluten-free bread?” Anderson asked Pierre, still trying to gather more information about the place from visuals alone. She didn't expect him to have any… this didn't look like a place that would be able to afford carrying items like that.

His reply confirmed her fears. “No, we don't… sorry about that. Uh-” The shopkeeper was about to say something else, but then seemed to change what he was going to say before his previous thought got out. “We do carry rice flour, though! So if you asked because of a dietary concern, you can make your own with that flour! If you know how, that is.”

Well, that was… _something_ at the very least. Andy did know how to make bread, but if he wasn't carrying anything that was made already… she didn't really have that much of a reason to be there. “I'll keep that in mind, thanks! Uhh, don't think I really need anything else though… Do you?” She turned to look at Sam, who had been leaning up against one of the shelves. 

“Actually, is Abigail home?” The wild-haired boy looked at Pierre. “I had something I wanted to ask her.” 

“Yes, she is! Should still be in her room, you can go back there and knock on her door if you like.” The man replied, gesturing towards the back of the store. There was indeed a door there - it looked like it lead into a hallway of sorts. 

Sam started to take a few steps towards it, but then paused to ask Pierre another question. “She can come too, right?” He pointed at Anderson, who had thought she was about to be left there awkwardly with this man she didn't know (but then again, she didn't really know Sam either…) 

“Of course! Just don't go snooping around~” The short man casually waved his hand at them both dismissively, seeming to not worry about it. 

Andy and Sam exchanged a glance and shrug before the young man resumed his short quest into the space behind the store, now with his partner in tow yet again. The hallway ended up opening into a much larger room, but that wasn't where they were going. Sam instead knocked loudly on a door at the _other_ end of the hall, shouting “ABBY! IT'S ME, SAM! ARE YOU ALIVE?! ARE YOU IN THERE?!” 

Some shuffling could be heard approaching the door before a disheveled-looking young woman with vibrant purple hair ripped the door open and thrust her head out to stare at the male. “Mmmyeah? Alive, but barely. Who's the chick? She the one that Lewis was talking about?” Abigail pointed her thumb towards Anderson without even looking at her. 

“Oh, this? This is the new farmer! Her name is Anderson, she just got here, and I've taken up the task of showing her around town, all on my own.” Sam explained, clapping his hands together with yet another dramatic bow. “Anderson, this is Abby. She's my best friend who is also friends with my other best friend - you'll probably meet him later, if he ever leaves his room long enough for you to spot him.” He joked, laughing quietly. 

“Anderson, huh? Nice to meet you. I'm Pierre's daughter, _unfortunately._ Sorry for looking like such a mess, I still need to fix my hair.” Abigail greeted Ms. Miller a tad more formally, opening her door the rest of the way so they could shake hands. “You feel at home yet?”

“Honestly, uhh… not at all. I came from the city - it's like night and day when you compare it to this place… but I'll get used to it soon, I'm sure.” Anderson used her non-handshaking hand to scratch the back of her neck anxiously, unsure of any truth being present in her own statement. 

“Eh, don't worry too much about it. Almost everybody is nice here… _almost._ You look pretty tough, though. I'm sure you'll manage.” The purple-haired girl threw her a wink before retracting her hand. “... Oh, and by the way, Sam is only showing you around because he's avoiding chores. He always talks that way when he's avoiding chores.”

_”HEY!!,”_ The boy exclaimed, embarrassed, “I would've shown her around even if I didn't have stuff that I'm _SUPPOSED_ to be doing! It just like… helps that now she also gives me a reason to procrastinate! You know what I’m talking about, right?”

Anderson shrugged at the other woman, a crooked smirk plastered across her face. “Yeah, I mean… I’d do the same thing as him, I feel that.”

_”SEE!?”_ Sam had gestured to Anderson and looked back to Abigail’s door, but she'd ducked back inside and all that came from her room was a flat “Eyyup.” 

Thankfully though, it only took a few moments more for Abby to come back out, now with her hair fixed and a tube of lip gloss in her hand. “Alright, we going?” She asked, looking at Sam.

“Going… where, exactly?” Andy chimed in first with a raised finger, assuming it must’ve had SOMETHING to do with the tour. 

“Oh, you’ll see.” The young man finally replied. _”We’re going on an adventure.”_


End file.
